Support St. Paul’s Youth as they participate in a 30 hour famine!

On February 27& 28th the youth of St. Paul’s will be participating in a 30 hour famine. The will be fasting for, you guessed it, 30 hours while learning about world hunger. If you would like to support their efforts, we have made it easy this year! You can now donate on-line through World Vision’s website. Follow the link below to support our kids while helping kids around the world. Thank you for your consideration!

HERE’S THE PROBLEM: • In 2012, more than 18,000 children younger than 5 died every day around the world—most of them from preventable causes. It’s estimated that nearly 8,000 of these deaths were tied either directly or indirectly to hunger. That’s one hunger related child death about every 10 seconds. • The good news? The number is dropping. In 2011, the daily total of child deaths was almost 19,000. In 1990 it was over 32,000, and in 1960 it was over 54,000. So we’re making good progress, but we still have a way to go. • Worldwide, 842 million people—about 1 in 8—are hungry. That’s more than two and a half times the population of the United States. Why is this number so high? Because many poor families depend entirely on what they can grow, so they’re never more than one disaster away from hunger. HERE’S WHERE YOU COME IN: • You have a choice. You can be an onlooker, or you can get involved in fighting hunger. You can sit it out, or you can stand up and take part. The world can stay the way it is, or you can help shape it. When there’s an injustice like this one, you can hope someone else handles it, or you can answer God’s call and make it your fight. HERE’S WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS: Jesus showed His disciples a little child and told them “whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (Matthew 18:5, NIV). This tells us that kids are a big deal to God, and that we’re welcoming Jesus Himself when we help them. James tells us to act, not just talk. He writes, “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16). But hunger is such a big issue. Hmmm . . . who else stepped up to a giant issue? David stood up. In 1 Samuel 17, this young man-made Goliath his fight. He was made fun of and told he was too young, too inexperienced, and not good enough. Has that ever happened to you? David stood up anyway. He fought Goliath, and he won. Why? Because what he did, he did for God and for God’s people. God could’ve struck the giant down Himself, but instead He chose to use someone young, inexperienced, and passionate. In the same way, He’s waiting for you to volunteer in the fight against hunger. Whoever you are, whatever your story, He wants to use you when you stand up and make it your fight. HERE’S HOW OUR GROUP WILL MAKE HUNGER OUR FIGHT: Through World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine, we’ll go hungry so others don’t have to! • We’ll set a group fundraising goal, find donors, and collect money—then cap it off by going hungry ourselves for 30 hours. While we fast, we’ll play crazy-fun games, hang out with our friends, do awesome service projects, and get closer to God … and become 30 Hour Famine survivors! • Every $35 we raise can help feed and care for a child for a month. That means if you get just 12 people to give $35, you’re helping a child for an entire year! And if you get 24 people to give $35, you can help two kids for a whole year. • Personalize your pre-designed fundraising page at 30hourfamine.org and decide on your own fundraising goal. The equation is easy. It’s the number of kids you want to help for a month times $35. Remember, $425 can help a child for just over a year! THE FUNDS WE RAISE WILL HELP KIDS AND FAMILIES BY PROVIDING THINGS LIKE: • Farming education, seeds, and tools | Clean water sources and irrigation systems | Improved food storage | Farm animals like cows, goats, and chickens | Nutrition classes | Emergency food supplies | Emergency feeding clinics • The best news is, we’re helping for more than a day, or a month, or a year . . . because World Vision doesn’t just give handouts. They live and work in communities for the long haul to help families become self-sufficient. That means we’re helping kids and their families overcome hunger and poverty for a lifetime.